Generations Part Three
by Yaminoko-Jeichan
Summary: Continues from Generations Part 2 version A. Kessuke and Shinichi are a couple, and Toya is part of a band. Kessuke's mother shows up with a secret: Kess has a twin sister.
1. Chapter 1

Generations: Part Three

Chapter One

With the sun rising slowly into the sky, Kessuke awoke and gazed at the teen lying next to him on the bed. Blond hair, angel soft and long, with skin close to ivory white, the teen snuggled against his bare chest. So beautiful, Kessuke brought his left hand to the teen's cheek, caressing the soft skin with his deft fingers. This motion, so slight caused the teen's eyes to flutter open; gentle hazel orbs turned upward to gaze into the cobalt blue ones.

"Good morning, Kess." The blond teen whispered, moving closer to Kessuke's chest.

"Good morning, Shini." Kessuke wrapped his arm tighter around the blond, and leaned his head down to kiss Shinichi on the nose; then on the lips. "We should get up."

"Nnnnh." Shinichi shook his head and grabbed onto Kess, refusing to let him move.

"You don't want to get caught by your dad again, do you?" Kessuke pried Shinichi's arms away, moving from the now pouting teen's embrace to sit with his legs hanging off the side of the bed. "Things didn't go at all well when he found out—the last thing you want him finding out is we're still doing it."

"I know." Shinichi whined, sitting up in bed as well, legs still on the mattress, back against the headboard.

"If you know that, why do you insist on disobeying me?" Came a voice from the door, which neither heard open; both teens shot their sights to the man in the doorway, recognizing the blond hair and golden eyes of Shinichi's dad.

"I…I'm in trouble…."

"You bet you are." Yuki replied, staring icily at the two boys, cigarette in his left hand, between his fingers. Bringing the cigarette to his lips and inhaling, then removing it and exhaling, the novelist studied his prey with expressionless eyes. "Both of you get dressed and be downstairs in fifteen minutes." He turned to leave, pausing, his back to them. "Shinichi, you're grounded for a month."

"B…But…but…." Too late, his dad left before he could get his objection out. Steaming with frustration, Shinichi twisted his body and buried his face in his pillow, his hands clenched onto the white fluffiness. A few minutes passed before Kessuke leaned over the bed to gaze upon him.

"That's enough of trying to suffocate yourself." Kessuke said grinning to show his joke; when Shinichi didn't laugh, didn't even look at him, he placed his hand on the teen's blond head, ruffling the shiny hair with his fingers. He paused when he heard a sob escape from the pillowed face. "Shini-kun."

"I hate this, I hate him, it's fuckin unfair!" Shini turned his face out of the pillow, his hazel eyes red and full with tears. "He's not gonna let me see you for a month!"

Kessuke simply ran his fingers through Shinichi's hair, his cobalt eyes studying the sad, frustrated face gazing up at him. A wistful smile breaking the pursed line of his lips, Kessuke leaned down closer to the angelic face and pressed his lips to the pale forehead and then the visible cheek, ending with a quick peck on the nose. His lips still holding that smile, the cobalt eyed teen softly sang to the hazel eyed one.

-

Teal eyes hidden behind sunglasses, blond hair neatly combed and covered with a hat, Tohma Seguchi watched the band onstage with varied interest—the synth-player wasn't very good, but the bassist wasn't bad, and the guitarist was somewhere between amateur and professional.

That made the band average—not much worth his time, but when the singer sang, really belted out the lyrics, hitting all the notes—that propelled the band higher than average. They might just be worth his time if they got a new synth player, and a new bassist.

"What do you think of them?"

"The guitarist and singer have talent—the singer especially, but the other two ruin it." Tohma replied, turning to the person next to him, his trademark smile playing at his lips. "You really need to get better at judging a band as a whole, Toya. All the parts have to work together otherwise talent is wasted."

Toya turned red at his father's criticism, but recovered his voice before Tohma turned to leave.

"Today is the bassist's last day—he's being replaced, and I'm certain a new synth player can be found—you could help with that."

"And why would you presume I would help? What makes this band special compared to the hundreds who give me demo-tapes everyday?"

"Well the singer…." Toya mumbled and bit his lip, unsurprised by, yet disappointed by, his father's dismissal of the band.

"The singer—she's exceptional. But the guitarist is only semi-talented. Now if you waited for the bassist and synth player to be replaced before urging me to see the band, you…."

"I'm gonna be the new bassist."

Tohma's smile fell off his face as surprise sculpted his expression, his sunglasses slipping off as he jerked his head back.

"You're going to be the bassist? I…when did you learn…?"

"I've been using my allowance to pay for lessons for the pass three years. And…." Toya looked back on stage, "All of them agree I play better than that guy." He indicated the bassist on stage with a wave of his hand.

"I got to commend you for being able to keep it a secret from me. But I'll have to hear you play with the band before I can change my mind." Tohma smiled a genuine smile for a few seconds before putting his mask back on. "Replace the synth player too—or get rid of it altogether, when you do that I'll watch the band perform again." With that he turned and walked away from his son, heading out of the building.

-

"Toya-kun! What did your dad say?" The guitarist, long auburn hair held in a ponytail and green eyes, pushed through the crowd toward the brunette, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"He basically said no."

"What?" The guitarist froze, his eyes roaming over Toya to discern if the teen was joking.

"I figured as much." The bassist intoned, escaping the crowd the second before. "Lani and I suck—we dragged you down."

"Don't say that! You're not…you didn't…."

"They did." Toya affirmed, glancing through the crowd to see the last two band members make it through the crowds waiting for the next band to start.

"Toya, don't…."

"We need to replace the bassist and synth player before my dad will give us another listen."

"Well you're going to be bassist after tonight—that means we only need a synth player, unless you decide to replace it with drums." The bassist sighed, bringing his arms behind his head.

"Replace what with drums?" The synth player asked as she found them, eyes lighting up as she hugged Toya.

"You Lani, you sunk the band—you and Keni both." Toya replied escaping Lani's embrace.

"What? But…but…." Lani whimpered, looking from Toya to Keni, then to the guitarist.

"What's taking Rave so long?" Toya ignored Lani's whines and pleading eyes, instead looking for the singer.

"Yo. I'm here." The singer, Rave, appeared as though from shadow to stand beside Lani who gave her an evil look.

"Oh, done signing autographs already?" Lani asked not masking the contempt in her voice. "Oh, how nice it is to be appreciated."

"Come on, you have your fans too Lani…." Rave began.

"Only because she gives it away." The guitarist interjected. "If you know what I mean."

Lani turned beet red, pursing her lips against any retort.

"Ryusuke, take that back." Rave stepped toward the guitarist, eyes shining in the overhead lights.

"You'll let Lani get away with dissing you? She's always doing it, but you won't let anyone pay her back?"

"When she disses me, it's up to me to get her back—no one has the right to butt in." Rave turned away, toward Toya. "So what's the say on the band?"

"We need to replace Lani and Keni."

"Um…we have you to replace Keni, but I don't know any synth players."

"I…I think I know one—and I might be able to convince him to play with us." Toya said, looking at the darkened ceiling in thought. "I think he might…."


	2. Chapter 2

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter Two**

"What do you want, Toya?" Shinichi demanded of the brunette who blocked his way to the cafeteria. "This isn't your school, so why are you here?"

"Just wanted to talk to my favorite cousin." Toya flashed a smile, knowing full well that Shinichi wouldn't buy it.

"I'm your only cousin, and…you never want to just talk to me. You want something, what is it?"

"Not much." Toya ran his fingers through his hair, glancing away before focusing on his cousin. "I just wanted to know if you'd want to be in a band."

-

Kessuke laid on his bed, on his side until he turned to his back, his eyes gazing at the high ceiling. An English literature textbook lay open on his desk, a foot from his bed, and his notebook lay on top the open page, closed and under the desk light. His window blinds shut, darkness overtook his room even in the day—he sighed and turned to his other side.

"Kessuke? Are you studying?" His father's voice penetrated the room from his closed door, and the familiar creak warned him of that barrier opening. In stepped his father. "Kessuke?"

"Go away." Kessuke covered his eyes with his arms, shielding them from the light when his father switched it on.

Ryuuichi paused and observed his son, he noticed the textbook and notebook abandoned on the desk.

"At least you pretend to study—but your tutor comes only twice a week."

"And I only have to study once a week, who cares? Go away." Kessuke flipped onto his stomach and slid his arms under his pillow. "I'm tired."

"Tohma said you got in trouble with Shinichi again, that Yuki-san caught you two…"

"Don't mention that hypocrite."

Ryuu moved to the side of Kessuke's bed, and gazed down, searching, his attention on the teen's arms under the pillow. He brought his hand to Kessuke's shoulder, his glance straying over the mattress's white sheet. His eyes strayed and caught a glimpse of something that drew a sigh from him. He removed his hand and reached into the side gap between the mattress and frame. He pulled out a box cutter.

"Kessuke, let me see your arms."

"Go away."

Ryuu sighed and pulled the pillow away, revealing Kessuke's pale arms lain palms down on the mattress.

"Show me your arms, Kessuke, palms up."

Kessuke growled and pulled away, moving as though to sink into the mattress. A moment later he sighed and sat up, defeated.

"You know what I did, why do you need to see?"

"Kessuke, I need to see the damage." Ryuu grasped his son's arms and pulled them palms up; clotting incisions, about five on each arm, stood out on the pale skin, one or two still bleeding. Between the incisions white and pink scars decorated the surface, showing the past. "I'll get the first-aid kit." Ryuuichi dropped the arms, turned away and left through the door.

Kessuke stared ahead, his eyes finding the clock—five minutes passed before his father returned holding a white plastic box. His father knelt in front of him, cleaning the cuts with the alcohol pads and covering them with gauze and bandages. Ryuu's every move was done deliberately, the caring of Kessuke's wounds second nature to him now.

"Do you wish to talk?"

Kessuke shook his head, his eyes aimed to the side, he held back from blinking, refusing to free the moisture welling up.

"Is Yuki-san not going to let Shini-kun see you for a while again?"

Kessuke inhaled and nodded, next he exhaled as Ryuu pulled him into an embrace. Ryuu's arms around him felt soothing, a signal for relief. He sunk his face into his father's shoulder.

Ryuu held him close, his heart thumping against his ribs. _'Kessuke never lets me hold him, not for long, is this progress?'_

"Dad?"

"Yes, Kess?"

"Is what I feel for Shini love? It hurts not being able to see him, to be apart. Does that mean I love him?"

"I…why do you ask?"

"It's almost how I felt for Ta-chi after he died, just less. But…I loved Ta-chi for the attention he showed me, not for him. Does that mean it's not love with Shini? Is it just lust—selfish desire?"

"I don't know." Ryuu held tighter to his son, bringing his lips to Kess' head, then ruffling his hair; holding his breath to keep his tears at bay. Every time Kess brought Taki up melancholy strangled Ryuu. He hated Taki, but felt helpless, both to his own guilt, and to the love Kess felt for his ex. Shini had yet to make Kess forget Taki, that hill a steep climb.

"I didn't mean to upset you—it's just I remember, no, I dream…and my thoughts tangle themselves up. And I'm confused."

"It's all right."

Kessuke pulled himself into a more natural position.

"Do you remember when I was young, about four, I asked if I had any siblings? I had another dream…two people, mom, I think, and someone else, a young child."

"I don't know if your mother has any other children. She might." Ryuu sighed and pulled back to look Kess in the eye. "Focus on the present and what's around you, before you look for these answers collect yourself and finish your current problems."

"When did you start giving such good advice?" Kessuke grinned, and lied back on the bed. "You sound like Tohma."

"That's where it comes from. He's helping me, and I'm helping you."

"So that's it. I see." Kess stretched then sat up, changing to standing within a breath. "I guess I just have to endure being without Shini."

"You could just stop having sex with him, just hang out, go on dates."

"Yeah, but…" Kess' expression darkened and he avoided Ryuu's eye. "That's all I…how do I…." Kess bit his lip and brought his hand to his face, digging his nails into his cheek. Taki showed him how to love through sex—his only lesson; his only outlet for such emotions. "I'll study now, you have an appointment, you should go."

"Kess…." Ryuu paused but walked away, his instinct telling him not to push Kess. The conversation was over. Bonding trial complete. "You know my number if you need me, and you know Tohma's—but he has a meeting with someone this afternoon. Call him only if you need to."

"All right, bye." Kess sat at his desk and Ryuu left the room. Kessuke lay his head on his textbook, pulling at his left arm bandage with his right hand—his father took the box-cutter with him. That left him with only one thing: the lighter in his desk drawer.

When he heard the front door open and close, he unwrapped his left bandage and took out the lighter. He flicked the flame on and set it an inch away from his skin, an unbroken part of his flesh.

Pressing his teeth into his bottom lip, he brought the flame to touch his skin, a few seconds, then a few more. Too painful, he pulled it away and lost the flame. He released his lip, then bit it again, surveying the damage—his skin burned red, a blister forming.

"Not enough." He dropped the lighter into the drawer and slammed his fist onto his desk, he paused in thought, then began hitting his wrist against the corner of the arm of the chair. His strikes grew harder, and after twenty hits he paused, observing his wrist: a bruise forming sped his breath and he increased his hits until the bruise hurt and satisfied him.

He sighed and flipped open his notebook to a blank page, picked up his pen and wrote:

'_Do I love Shinichi or am I fooling myself? Is it love of just sex that draws me to him—is he a replacement for Ta-chi? If only pain could tell me._

_I shouldn't keep convincing him to have sex, he wanted to go out, do something else, but I persisted—and we got caught. Now he can't see me for a month, that happened before. I should've learned. But sex is all I understand—sex and pain._

_I'm just fooling us both.'_

He sighed, closed the notebook and put it and the pen in his bottom desk drawer, locking it. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and shivered—the chill coming from his open window.

"Screw it." He wrapped his arms around his body, ignoring the pain from his wrist. Then his cell-phone rang. "Fuck."

He picked it up and flipped it open, intoning 'hello' into the speaker.

"Kessuke-kun?" A woman's voice asked.

"Yes?"

"This is your mother."


	3. Chapter 3

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter Three**

Shinichi ran around the school track, the school councilor insisted on him joining a sports group along with an academic study group, to embellish his high school transcript: he chose track and music history. Neither interested him, running was boring and he liked playing music not learning about its history. He hated all the other groups more. He hated everything at the moment.

He couldn't see Kessuke for a month. And his dad would be picking him up after school everyday until the punishment period ended.

"Of course I could take Toya up on his offer—I might get him to invite Kess if I play in his band." He slowed down, slowing until he stopped. "Yeah right. Toya hates Kessuke. He forgave him, but jealousy runs deep." He said through gasps, trying to catch his breath. Next he stretched and remembered Toya's words:

"_I need you to play the synthesizer, you're excellent and with you playing with us I bet my dad will sign the band to N-G."_

Shinichi jogged to the locker-room, lips upturning. Approaching his locker he peeled off his shirt and stuffed it in his bag, next were his shorts; he took his towel and wiped off his sweat, tossing that into his bag

"I'll take a shower at home. Dad should be here soon—when he says he'll pick me up he should come on time not twenty minutes late." He glanced at his watch—everyone else left fifteen minutes ago, only he had stood, running around the track to pass time. "Toya…me in a band? Just wait until I tell papa, he'll force dad to let me play. Of course dad won't have to worry about Kess coming to visit during practice—Toya hates him, and Kess avoids Toya."

Shinichi pulled his uniform pants on, fastened them, then proceeded with his shirt, humming as he buttoned up.

"Shi-san, your dad's here for you." A head with chocolate brown eyes, and vibrant red hair surrounding an effeminate face leaned on his shoulder.

"Yumi-chan, you stood after today?"

"Ryoko had drama club today. I don't go home by myself."

"Will your mom pick you up? Or is Ryoko-san taking you home?"

"Ryoko, once she's ready." Yumi sat on the bench, looking up at Shinichi. "You should hurry, your dad looked mean."

"I'm grounded, that's why he's picking me up, that's why he's mad." Shinichi finished dressing and packing, he walked passed Yumi and exited into the deserted hall. He made if five feet down the corridor before Yumi tackled him knocking him to his face.

"Shi-san, Ryoko said she's going out with her friends! Can I go home with you?"

"I'll have to ask my dad." Shini stood up, a difficult feat with the 110lb attachment strangling him. "Yumi, I'll ask him, let go."

"Ok." Yumi skipped ahead after releasing Shini, stopping only at the doorway with the shoe cupboards. He practically jumped out of his shoes, and dived into his outdoor sneakers. He hopped and fidgeted at the door as Shini placed down his bag and normally slipped off his shoes and put his outdoor sneakers on.

Next he picked up his bag and headed out the door, stopping to see where his dad waited.

"Shinichi, come on." Yuki called from the gate, cigarette in hand.

-

"Who are you?" Kessuke asked the woman, his heart aching, his stomach curling.

"I'm your mother, Kessie. If you don't believe me we can meet."

Kessuke's mouth flapped open and shut, his words trapped in his throat. He shook his head, then looked at his wrist—he squeezed his fingers into a fist, the pain of each movement distracting.

"Kessuke? Are you there? Kessie?"

"Yes." He felt reality slip through his fingers, his mind heading into the past—this voice; this voice he remembered, its tone unchanged for thirteen years. He could almost hear it singing a lullaby to him, wishing him sweet dreams; the voice that used to wake him in the mornings so long ago. "What do you want?"

"I just want to see you, to explain…." 

"Explain what? Why you abandoned me when I was two?"

"Yes, please just hear me out. Don't sound so angry."

"Sorry, I wasn't in a good mood to begin with." Kessuke froze his body, blocking out all senses besides hearing; his face stone. He quietly listened while the woman told him where to meet her and when; he kept the cell to his ear until he heard the call end, after that he flipped it closed and tossed it on his desk.

A slow breath in, a slow breath out, he stared into his desk lamplight, images of the past busting the dam blocking the past from the present.

'_A woman in blue jeans and a light brown shirt swooped down on him, lifting him up and resting him against her shoulder._

"_Kessie, my seraph, you had your party yesterday—today's your sister's."_

_He whimpered and snuggled deeper against the woman's shoulder, looking around only when the woman knelt down, picking up another infant: a girl—his sister._

"_Suzi, my cherib, your brother's jealous, what should we do?"_

_The girl reached over to Kess, and stroked his hair, a smile on her lips and Kess' anger lifted.'_

Reality flooded back to Kess with the buzzing doorbell, he shook his head to toss the blurry memories away. He pushed his chair away from his desk, to his room door and opened it, that moment the door to the apartment opened. He paused, the opened door blocking his view of the visitor.

"Tohma?" He called down the hall, his heart thumping against his ribs.

"No, it's me."

"Tatsuha-san, why are you here?" Kessuke watched as Tatsuha shut the door and approached his room, the man dressed in a white long sleeved shirt and black pants.

"I came to see Ryuu, but he's not here, is he?" Tatsuha stopped three feet from Kessuke's door, and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"He just left. He has a doctor's appointment."

"Doctor?"

"Psychiatrist. Tohma thought it was best for him." Kess leaned back on his chair, his hair falling into his eyes—he used his left hand to brush the strands away. When he saw Tatsuha staring at his arm, he dropped it to his lap, then backed away in his chair. He moved to shut the door when Tatsuha reached him, grabbing his arm to view his wrist in the light.

"How did you get this?" Tats indicated the bruise, holding to Kess' arm even when the teen tried pulling away.

"My dad knows."

"Then why are you pulling away? I see the cuts were bandaged, but why are they now not bandaged? They're still bleeding."

"I hit my wrist on the chair, okay?" Kess pried his arm from Tats' grip, and cradled the limb against his chest. "I cut myself, he bandaged it, he left, I undid the bandage then hit my wrist against the chair arm."

"Cutting wasn't enough?"

"Dad took away my box-cutter, and all the knives are locked up."

"I won't tell, Kess, just let me look at your arm. And bring you to your therapist."

"Not now." Kess shook his head, gazing straight into Tatsuha's eyes. "You can take care of my arm, but I have to meet someone in fifteen minutes."

"Meet who? Shinichi?" Tats stood in front of Kess, expecting an answer in the affirmative.

"No, my mother."

-

"Shinichi, quiet your friend down." Yuki growled, staring at the red light, hands squeezed on the wheel. His head pounding from the incessant chattering of the redheaded teen.

"Yumi-chan, quiet, my dad will kick you out of the car if you anger him." Shini shushed his fellow classmate, quickly placing his hand over Yumi's mouth when the teen began speaking again.

"I can't believe I agreed to drive your friend home. I should've left him for his own parents to get." Yuki sighed and pressed the accelerator the moment the light turned green. "Who are his parents anyway?"

"Nakano-san." 

Yuki glanced in his rearview mirror at Shinichi, then at Yumi, his right hand pausing in reaching for his lit cigarette in the car ashtray.

"Hiroshi Nakano? Your papa's bandmate?"

"Yes."

"Great. Your papa's band has a gig tonight, and Ayaka is visiting family in Kyoto." Yuki brought his cigarette to his lips and took a puff, placing it back in the ashtray when he exhaled. "I'm stuck watching you both tonight."

"You could always give us money for the movies or karaoke, that way we can't bother you."

"No, you'll just end up seeing Kessuke." Yuki changed lanes and turned onto the street heading home.

"How about dropping us off at uncle Tohma's?"

"Why do you want to go there?"

"Toya wants me to join his band."

"Not until you graduate." Yuki flicked the ashes off his cigarette into the ashtray, then brought it back to his lips; he exhaled as he turned into the driveway.

"But uncle Tohma is letting Toya…"

"I'm not Tohma, he let's Toya do whatever he wants now, he hasn't even talked to Toya about his drug use." Yuki parked his Mercedes, took the key from the ignition, and leaned back taking another puff from his cigarette. "Until he catches Toya with drugs, Tohma refuses to do or say anything."

Shinichi chewed on his tongue remembering earlier that day when Toya left him to think about the offer; Shinichi saw one of his fellow students, one he knew was into drugs approach Toya—the two chatted as though they knew each other. Shinichi walked away after a moment of hesitation.

Shinichi avoided his dad's gaze, opening his door and exiting the car; he made it to the locked front door before his dad called out to him.

"Shini, you know something about Toya, don't you?"

"…." Shinichi fidgeted and glanced away from Yuki until his dad stepped right in front of him.

"Shini…."


	4. Chapter 4

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter Four:**

Tatsuha stood next to the table Kess sat at, drumming his fingers on the chair.

"Do you want me to stay while you visit with her?" Tatsuha stared at Kessuke, his view that of Kessuke's hair, the teen's face turned away.

"No, just…be somewhere nearby." Kessuke searched the surroundings for any approaching women, glancing at Tatsuha only when the man patted his shoulder. Tatsuha smiled then backed away, heading to another table in the Restaurant courtyard.

The teen fiddled with his fingers for five minutes, keeping his eye on the entrance to the courtyard. He froze when a woman with mid-back length black hair, and a narrow face, peaches and cream complexion, stepped into view. His right hand instinctively went to his left arm, squeezing it, trying to drill his nails into the bandaged skin. Failing that, he brought them to his hand, pressing hard into his skin.

The woman's black hair, shining blue in the light, her pointed chin, the way she walked, a much younger image of her jumped to the forefront of Kessuke's conscious thought.

He averted his cobalt eyes away, glancing instead at the red on his hand—one of his nails broke the skin of his hand, a drop of blood welling up. He separated his hands and pulled his left under the table, and then he glanced back up. The woman looked lost—Kessuke looked around, there were a few boys around, some alone, others chatting.

Fighting the thought to ignore her, he stood up, leaning forward, his hands on the table. He swallowed and stared straight at her.

"Mother."

-

Inside the apartment Yuki glared at Shinichi, sitting on a chair in the kitchen facing Shinichi. Yumi sat in the living room watching TV.

"So besides seeing Toya hanging out with the wrong crowd, did you see him actually using drugs?"

"No, but…." Shini closed his eyes then opened them. "I saw him drunk last week, when I was out doing Karaoke with Kessuke. He was with someone, a friend of his."

"Do you know this friend?"

"No, that was the first time I saw him."

Yuki sighed, took out a cigarette from his pack and lit it. He brought it to his lips then stopped.

"Shini, if you see Toya out, drinking or doing anything else he's not supposed to, call me. If he still uses drugs, I need to know—Tohma needs to know, all it takes is one try of something he's not used to and he's dead. I don't want that happening."

"If I find out anything, I'll tell you." Shini left the room, sitting next to Yumi on the couch, hair over his eyes. '_It's only been three months since he almost killed himself, if he's still using drugs—doesn't he care about his life?_' He breathed out, and stared at the TV screen; Yumi passed him some chips when the phone rang.

His dad scowled in annoyance as he walked into the hall to answer it; Shini watched his dad answer the phone, watched as his dad's expression changed to bored, then to interested.

"Yes Tohma, Shini's here. Kessuke's not." Yuki paused, flicked the ashes from his cigarette in the ashtray next to the phone. "Calm down Tohma, have you called Tatsuha yet? He said he was going to visit." Yuki placed his cigarette down, tapped his finger on the table, and then closed his eyes. "Look, call Tatsuha, if he hasn't seen Kess, call me back."

Shini waited until his dad said 'goodbye' before approaching Yuki, his heart beating fast.

"Did something happen?" Shini grabbed his dad's arm, gazing up at Yuki's face.

"Not sure. Tohma went to check up on Kessuke only he wasn't there. Now Tohma's freaked out because Ryuu told him Kess cut again, and he can't find Kess."

"Shouldn't we look for him?" Shini squeezed his dad's arm, eyes widening, a tremble passing through him from adrenaline, his heart thumping.

"As I said to Tohma, he might be with Tatsuha. If he's not then I'll look for him." Yuki stared into Shini's hazel eyes, saw the fear, and patted Shini on the head. "I'll call Tatsuha in five minutes if Tohma doesn't call me back. Okay?"

Shini nodded, worry still printed on his face as he left his dad's side and sat back on the couch, staring at the clock.

-

"It's been too long, Kessie." The woman sat across from Kessuke; she reached her hand to the teen's hair, trailing her fingers along the long strands. "Doesn't anyone make you get haircuts? I thought Seguchi-san would make you."

"I don't listen." Kessuke looked from his mother's fact to her hands; he fiddled with his hands, a million questions in his head, not one making it to his lips.

"You're quiet."

"I haven't seen you since I was two."

"Yet you remembered me."

Kessuke glimpsed at her face, lips forming a response when the waiter showed up for their order. He handed them the menus.

"I'll have a diet ice tea and a small chef salad." Kess' mother smiled at the waiter, then at Kessuke. "What about you, Kessie? It's my treat."

"I'll have, uh…" He searched through the menu, drumming his fingers on the table. "A club soda and the tomato and basil soup."

"You sure you don't want something more, Kessie?"

"I had a big lunch." Kessuke handed his menu back to the waiter, glancing behind him where Tatsuha sat—the man was on his cell. The waiter left and Kessuke's mother placed her hand on his, drawing Kessuke's attention.

"Kessie, I want you to know, I didn't want to leave you."

Kessuke met his mother's eyes, her soft expression. He felt her smooth fingers embracing his hand, her baby-powder perfume tickling his nose.

"Then why did you?" He pressed his teeth tightly together, his cobalt eyes intense as he stared into his mother's grey ones.

"I didn't want…I…they took your sister the week before I left you, they…child welfare…I didn't want you to end up in foster-care, I…."

"My sister?"

"Yes, your twin, Suzume—though whoever adopted her probably changed her name."

"You never got her back." Kessuke leaned back in his chair, his eyes blurring—he averted his gaze to his hands.

"I tried." She squeezed his hand, searching for his eyes as he pulled away, his hair covering them. Kessuke ignored her, drawing into himself until a tap on his shoulder distracted him.

"Kessuke," Tatsuha handed Kess his cell-phone. "Seguchi wants to talk to you."

Kessuke took the phone, put it against his ear and glanced at his mother.

"Hello Tohma."

"Where are you, Kessuke?"

"At a restaurant." He stood and stepped away from his mother and Tatsuha.

"With Tatsuha? Why didn't you leave a note?"

"I forgot."

"You sound upset, Kessuke, what's wrong?"

"My mother…she's here." Kessuke sunk his free hand into his pocket, listening to the silence and his own breathing.

"Your mother? But Kess…."

"She's just how I remembered her."

"But the letter…Kessuke, let me speak to her."

Kessuke turned back and handed the phone to his mother, who took it glancing into Kessuke's eyes.

"Seguchi-san?" She spoke quietly into the phone, trailing the fingers of her left hand along the side of the table, then to the silverware laid out on the tablecloth. "It's Deana Ebony."

"Deana…you can't…your letter."

"I didn't go through with it. I just couldn't."

"We need to talk in person, you stay where you are; what restaurant are you at?"

"The American cuisine one, two blocks from Ryuu's apartment."

"How do you know where Ryuu lives?"

"Your son told me."

"…I'll be there shortly." Seguchi hung up and Deana gave the cell-phone back to Tatsuha.

"Seguchi's coming." She folded her hands together on the table, and then looked over at Tatsuha, smiling. "Who's your friend, Kessie?"

"I'm Tatsuha, Tatsuha Uesugi." Tatsuha put his cell away, pulled up a chair and sat down.

-

Shinichi rushed to his dad the moment the five minutes ended, his father finishing his cigarette and dispositing the butt in the ashtray. Yuki glanced at Shinichi and nodded his head before the teen could speak; he flipped open his cell and leaned back in his recliner. His finger just reached the first number when it rang.

Yuki glared at the name that appeared, but averted his gaze to Shini when the teen made a noise, the beginning of a sentence.

"It's your papa." Two more rings and it stopped, then it rang again. "He's persistent." Yuki muttered when he looked at the name.

"Just answer, you can' t stay mad at him forever." Shini leaned over Yuki. "He's my papa."

Yuki glared at him and shoved the phone into his hand, and took out another cigarette.

"You answer, I'm getting a beer." He stood and went to the kitchen.

Shinichi frowned then answered the call, saying 'hello papa,' cheerfully into the phone.

"Shini, give Yuki the phone."

"He's still mad at you."

"That doesn't matter, this is an emergency."

Shini chewed on his lip and entered the kitchen, inching toward his dad who was drinking a can of beer with his back toward the teen.

"I don't want to talk to him." Yuki stopped drinking and said without looking behind him, setting the can on the counter when he heard Shinichi step back then stop.

"He says it's an emergency." Shinichi gripped the cell tightly, averting his eyes when Yuki didn't answer; instead of pressing his dad he brought the phone back to his ear. "Papa, dad's too stubborn."

"Goddamn it, Toya just overdosed, he's being rushed to the hospital now."

"What?! God."


	5. Chapter 5

Generations Part Three

Chapter Five

Kessuke brought his glass of club soda to his lips, his eyes avoiding everything until he saw Tohma approaching them; the blond took one look at the woman across from Kessuke and rushed forward.

"What do you want with Kessuke, you abandoned him?"

"Seguchi-san, I…."

Tohma's cell phone rang; he pulled it from his pocket, glanced at the caller ID and answered it.

"Hello Eiri, Kess…." Tohma felt his heart stop as he listened, everything blurring around him. "Which hospital? …I'll hurry there." He closed his phone, glanced at the three watching him, and dropped the cell phone, his hand shaking. He swooped it up, clutching it tightly.

"Seguchi…?"

"Toya overdosed, he's being rushed to the hospital now." Tohma turned and rushed toward the exit, stopped by Tatsuha followed by Kessuke.

"You're in no condition to drive, Seguchi. I'll drive us all." Tatsuha led the way to his car, sitting Seguchi in the passenger seat as Kessuke got into the back. He paused in surprise when Kessuke's mother got into the car as well; he shrugged and started the vehicle, buckling himself in as he drove out of the parking lot.

"Which hospital, Seguchi?"

"The downtown Medical Center, two miles from NG."

"Got it." Tatsuha turned left onto the main road to downtown. "Are you going to call Mika?"

Tohma trembled, gripping his pants tightly, not bothering to fasten his seatbelt; he stared ahead until he felt someone touch his arm. He glanced back to see Kessuke leaning toward him.

"It'll be okay, Tohma, Toya will be okay."

"Will he?"

Kessuke's heart quickened seeing Tohma's trembling lip and the moisture in his eyes. He squeezed the blond's arm, and chewed on the inside of his mouth; pressing down until he tasted blood.

"He…."

"Shindou told Eiri that Toya flat-lined when they put him in the ambulance." Tohma leaned forward, and squeezed his eyes shut, pushing the tears out. "He could already be…."

"Don't say it. Don't fuckin say it. It's not true. He'll live." Tatsuha growled, eyes narrowed as he gripped and turned the steering wheel. "And if he doesn't, it's your fault for not getting him into rehab."

Tohma gasped, his breathing quickening; he brought his hand to his collar, shaking, his eyes staring unseeingly ahead.

-

Shuuichi paced backstage, he had twenty more minutes to his concert, twenty minutes before he could see if Toya was all right. God, he couldn't wait that long.

"I'm going, Hiro, Toya's family and he….my concert and he…."

"K's not going to let us abandon the rest of the concert."

"K can go to hell." Shuuichi headed toward the exit, stopped when the cold steel of a magnum touched his head.

"Going somewhere?"

"Fuck off, K, Toya's in critical condition."

"And if he was your son I might let you go."

"He's still family, he's Yuki's family!" Shuuichi grabbed the barrel of the gun, and stared K straight in the eye, his teeth gritted. K backed up from the glit in the singer's eyes, he lowered the gun an inch.

"Maybe if Ryuuichi was here to substitute for you, then I'll let you leave early. But you have no replacement."

-

Out in the audience a woman with long brown hair in a loose ponytail, and a teen around fifteen or sixteen years old, stood staring at the stage expressions wistful. The woman ignored the impatience of the crowd until a squeeze on her hand from the teen beside her pulled her attention.

"The intermission's running long."

"My brother should be here." The woman searched the vicinity with her eyes, her fingers entwined with the teen's. "I called him; he said he'd be here."

"I heard an ambulance nearby." The teen let go of the woman's hand, lips down-turned as the woman ignored its loss.

"Sayaka." A man in a cap and sunglasses navigated through the crowds, his brown hair peeking out on the sides and back. "I can't talk right now, there's an emergency."

"Ryuuichi, after twenty years…."

"Tohma's son was sent to the hospital. I need to go; I'll talk to you later." He turned away and made his way through the crowd, toward the hall heading to backstage.

"Wait, which hospital? I'll take you."

Ryuu paused and turned back, his cobalt eyes peeking over the top of the sunglasses.

"You left your friend back in the audience."

"What? Oh god." Sayaka spun around, her heart skipping as she sought the teen. Ryuu continued backstage.


	6. Chapter 6

Generations

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter Six:**

Toya opened his eyes, and then closed them when assaulted by the bright overhead lights. He heard the small noises when people tried being silent; breaths, a foot tapping, and the steady beep of the heart monitor. He opened his eyes again when a sob penetrated his ears; his red-rimmed orbs burned but adjusted to the light, and he found his mother's face among the blurs around him.

"Mother…." He pushed himself up, propping up on his elbows; a gasp and a cry, and his mother's arms held him close. He felt her warmth, and leaned into her embrace.

A moment later she released him and slapped him across the face.

"How could you use drugs again? You almost…."

"But…but I didn't…." Toya grew aware of the hospital room, aware of the visitors staring with stern expressions.

"Don't lie, you collapsed, you…."

The door opened and in stepped Tohma with the doctor, his expression ice.

"Father, I didn't…."

"I know, the doctor just told me what caused you to collapse." Tohma approached the bed, silencing Mika with a look when she began forming words.

"Tohma, if not drugs, then…?" Yuki flicked his eyes from Toya to Tohma, and shook his head.

"Cyanide, someone tried to poison you, it's a miracle it wasn't a lethal dose."

Toya paled, jerked back and stared at his hands, a collective gasp filling the room.

"Who were you with and who brought you your drink?"

"I was with the band I'm joining, STAB, I got my own drink, but I did leave it unwatched for ten minutes. I…."

"Do you know anyone who would want to hurt you—the band member you replaced perhaps?" Tohma spoke those words to silence, his face scary without his smile.

"No, he wouldn't, Keni wouldn't…" Toya paled, eyes widening as a thought flashed before him. "Oh, God."

"He did do it, didn't he?"

"No…yes…for himself, he tried to kill himself before, and we got the same drink…."

Tohma blinked, his anger giving way to shock as he watched Toya cover his face with his hands.

"You're saying this Keni meant to kill himself, but your drinks got mixed up?"

"Yeah. Ryusuke told me to watch him, that Keni told him things that made him think…."

"Talk about a fucked up mistake." Yuki shook his head and leaned against the far wall. "Does anyone want to tell him the good news?"

"Yeah, we can't keep him in the dark." Tatsuha glanced from Tohma to Mika, smiling a half-smile.

"Huh? What happened? What good news?" Toya darted his eyes to each visitor, leaning back in bed from creeping exhaustion.

Mika ruffled his brown hair and smiled. "I had my baby, while the doctor's where working on you; You're a big brother."

"I'm…I…." Toya glanced at his hands, then to his mother's face. "Shouldn't you be resting then?"

"Me rest while my son is at death's door? Neither God nor the devil could keep me away from you." Mika brought Toya into an embrace, pulling him to her chest. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I thought I would lose you. That I'd gained a daughter but would lose a son."

"Mother, I'm sorry." Toya whispered, but no one heard him.

"He doesn't want to see you."

"I'm his sister." Sayaka brushed her hair as she gazed into the mirror, the teen's reflection staring at her. Those blue eyes seemed sad. "Su, I didn't mean to leave you in that crowd. I just…."

"I'm not mad. Can't we go back to America?"

"I need to see Ryu first."

The teen nodded once and turned away, grabbing a photo off the dresser before passing through the doorway. Her steps soft in the darkened hallway, she reached the bathroom and shut the door. She crawled into the shower and sat in the dark, spreading out as much as she could in the limited space. Her arms stretched to the sides, her legs twisted, she slowed her breath and closed her eyes.

"Crime scene." She muttered, lips curving into a smile. Images of police tape and photographers, the flashing of cameras, her body surrounded by the white outline paint—these flashed in her thoughts and she say up, laughing under her breath.

She rose to standing and stript off her shirt, shadow swallowing her up until the bathroom light flashed on. She shut her eyes and fell to her knees.

"Turn it off!"

"Su, you need the light on." Sayaka sighed and approached the teen, kneeling beside the shower. She bit her lip to keep her breath steady, wanting to block out the image before her: burn scars marred the teen's back, trailing across her arms and to her front.

"Light off!"

Sayaka wrapped her arms around the teen and felt her tremble against her chest. The sobs wrenched her heart.

"It's okay, it's okay, Suzume, I won't hurt you, you're beautiful—and I'll make sure everyone knows it."

"No…light…."

And I'll make sure that bitch gets what she deserves.

Orange flame hair flattened with gel off to one side of his head, green eyes excitably vibrant against deathly pale skin, the teen sat in a corner of a wheelchair accessible stall in the restroom, his knees huddled to his chest.

"Toya's…god, what the fuck…?" He held his breath, his eyes widening as he heard steps approach and a knock on the stall door, followed by a sigh.

"Keni, open the door. Toya's all right, Rave's mother called to inform us."

"He took my drink."

"It's not your fault."

"My drink, I…I could've…." Keni jerked into an upright position, his throat tightening. "Ryusuke…where did you get that pill? You said it was amphedamine, but…."

"….I have no idea what you're talking about…." Ryusuke replied and backed away, Keni heard him leave through the restroom door.

"Ryusuke…."

Lani rushed to Ryusuke the second the door closed behind him, her hands trembling as she grabbed the guitarist's arms for stability. A security blanket.

"Is Keni okay? Rave said Toya's all right…why's Keni so freaked out?" Lani's bleached blond hair with a dab of pink on the side jiggled over her ears, her golden eyes watering in fear as she stared into Ryusuke's grey ones.

"It was his cup Toya drank from…Keni put a pill in there for himself, but…."

"My god! I need to comfort him." Lani rushed to the restroom door, but Ryusuke held her back.

"That's the men's bathroom, besides, Keni wants to be alone. It'll aggravate him if we pester him. We should visit Toya." Ryusuke led her away, down the hall, his right arm around her shoulders.

Black hair tossed back with her hand, Deana held a can of diet ice tea and glanced down the hall, lingering in the waiting room. She watched her son hesitate at the hospital room door, take a step in and then leave the room, hands in his pockets.

"Kessie?"

Kessuke glanced at Deana, strayed to the right a step, then headed to the waiting room.

"I don't know why I came, Toya despises me. He couldn't care less if I visited him or not." Kessuke breathed a chuckle, just one, and combed his fingers through his hair; he leaned against the wall next to Deana.

"What a thing to happen on our reunion." Deana pushed a stray strand off Kessuke's face, her eyes straying to her son's arms. "Why is your arm bandaged, Kessie?"

Breath caught like a nail driven through his throat, Kessuke pulled away from his mother's touch, his eyes narrowed.

"Don't…don't you dare…." He swallowed back his words and pushed past her.

"What's wrong, Kessie?" Deana watched her son walk to the window, stop, turn back, and then back again.

"….gone fourteen years, don't you dare try to change me. Don't tell me what to do."

"I'm not. I won't. I don't have that right."

"…you have no idea what I've gone through….what I'm going through…."

"Kessie, it's all right. I'm only visiting, I'm not here to take over your life."

"De…Deana." Footsteps and that gasp brought her sight to the doorway, where her grey eyes drunk in a familiar appearance.

Ryu stood rock-still in the doorway, his untamed brown hair pushed from his face but otherwise unbridled, his cobalt jewel eyes wide in serious surprise, not innocence. He wore his lacy white shirt and tight jeans, a circular charm strung around his neck.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ryu, I just wanted to see Kessuke."

"It's been fourteen years since you left him. Why now?"

"Why not now? I heard from Seguchi's son about Kessuke's suicide attempt." Deana's lips straightened, her eyes piercing through the air, noticing Ryuichi's flinch. "You don't seem to be succeeding in fatherhood."

"Ah…at least I was there for our son, I provided for him all these years…."

"But you didn't protect him."

Ryu recoiled from the strike of her words, his eyes watering, body trembling.

"You know about Taki."

"Yes." Deana crossed her arms, her glare merciless. "If I knew before a month ago, I would've taken Kessie away, safe from that bastard, and safe from your stupidity." A sneer curled onto her face. "Safe from your stupidity and queerness.

Kessuke, staring out the window through the argument, shot his gaze back to his mother, his face blank.

"You're against homosexuality?" Kessuke watched her carefully, his heart pounding.

"Yes, it's disgusting, a denial of morality." Deana spat, then jerk her head remembering. "Oh, sorry, Kessie, anything that man did to you doesn't count. You didn't have a choice."

Kessuke shrunk away from Deana's approach, heart thumping to escape his chest, palms sweaty. He excused himself for the restroom and rushed down the hall.

"God." Ryu glared at Deana, shaking his head. "You're the idiot." He followed Kessuke down the hall, ignoring the woman's stare.

Shinichi reclined on his mattress, staring at the ceiling, above the covers fully clothed. On the floor beside the bed he heard Yumi mumbling in his sleep, the redhead sprawled almost in an enchanted slumber—he had been on the bed but fell off, not once awakening, not even when Shinichi wrapped an extra pair of covers around him.

A knock on his door, then it opened.

"Yu…I see Yumi's asleep." Hiro switched on the light and stepped to the bed. "But you're not. Your papa made hot chocolate, do you want some?"

"Nakano-san, I just can't sleep."

"It was a trying day, with Toya…."

"Something upset Kess too. The hospital gave him a sedative and sleeping pills." Shinichi turned to his side, tears falling from his eyes as he studied Hiro. "What upset Kessuke?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know any more than you do. Come have some hot chocolate. We all can talk in the kitchen while Yumi sleeps."

Shinichi nodded, wiped his eyes and followed after Hiro.

**End Chapter**


	7. Chapter 7

**Generations: Part Three**

**Chapter Seven**

Light drove through the cover of darkness as dawn arose in the world of color--ocean deep azure eyes blinked and vanished under the woolen quilt.

The thunderous phone ring crackled to ears soon covered by hands--delicate things bearing trace burn scars, mortifications seen only under deliberate scrutiny. Her black brown hair tangled from a toss and turn night, spasms crashed through her as her imprisoned heart struggled to escape.

"Su, Su." The familiar whisper and hand touch broke panic's hold, and she calmed with each passing breath. "Su, it's time to wake."

"All right…." Su crawled from the covers, dragging them behind her as she walked to the adjoining bath-shower room. Her perception of reality dimmed from sleep and comfort.

Jolts of electricity flashed pass her sight, raging orange and angry red--the world seemed engulfed in flame. The gas smell seeping in her nose and through every pore. Was she even breathing? Her world spun, the cloud of smoke filtered and the pain dimmed.

Blackness; then reality sparked into view--Sayaka holding her in her arms, lips moving, but the sounds inaudible. The first sound was heavy breathing, rapid, intense; it scared her, even more when she realized she made that sound. Her heart beat against her, pounding for freedom from the animated shell.

"It's okay, it's okay…." Sayaka's face faded with the increase of noise, Su waited for the colors to dance and fade with the tone. Her color-sound was better than reality. "Another seizure…"

She listened to Sayaka's beating heart, calming since she felt it, not just heard it. The vibration soothed her and the colors faded into silence, arms holding her close. Her arms crossed over her chest, like the arms on a corpse. Shivers, her lips trembling, she wanted warmth and the tears spilled from her eyes.

"Let's get you back to bed…I'll heat up some left over soup." Sayaka lifted her, barely struggling with her hundred pounds and not a complaint from her lips. "…I'll call the doctor later….I need to see him too…."

"Auntie….I'm all right….stomach just hurts…."

"Su-chan, it's okay….I shouldn't have pushed you….today or last night…." Sayaka remembered the shower scene, the light and scars. "The nurse will look after you for a hour or two…I need to go out…."

"I'm sorry…." Su closed her eyes, pulled her arms to her chest and breathed to calm her heart into sleep. Dreamless slumber of darkness.

0

Kessuke stared into the arisen sun, eyelids droopy from the sedative used to calm him last night. He found his mother--and she's homophobic. He turned and hit his head against the wall, too languid to find a blade or lighter. Too languid to do anything more than slide to the floor afterwards.

He wanted to die.

"Taki….why did you protect me? You shouldn't…." His words were only breaths of sound, inaudible. "I hurt…get Shini in trouble….and Toya's fucked up now…."

"Kessuke?" Ryu stepped to the teen, his knock on the bedroom door unheard. "I…are you okay? I…. I know what it's like to be hurt by family…."

"….Can Tats come over?" Kess glared at the floor, anger on his face; he moved his lips to say more but couldn't speak.

Ryu gazed down at the black haired teen, his son enigmatic yet an open book. He couldn't be alone.

"I'll call him….You can stay with me today if you want….I'm meeting someone….I promised to yesterday but….." Ryu closed his lips and kneeled next to Kessuke, his heart stopped when the teen looked at him without indifference.

"I don't want to be trouble…..Who are you meeting?"

Ryu sat against the wall beside Kess, his knees brought up to his chest and arms hanging at his sides.

"My sister, Sayaka and her ward Suzume."

0

Ryusuke pushed his auburn hair to the side, and slid the comb through the strands; a towel draped over his shoulders he heard the shower turn off. The glass door opened and out stepped his guest, her presence soon next to him and arms attacking his chest. Sensual touches.

She pulled the towel from Ryusuke's shoulders and the one wrapped around his waist, the fog blocking her reflection in the mirror.

"You cradle robber." Ryusuke breathed, his hands reaching to his guest, and he turned to taste her lips. The kiss was sweet then heavy.

He stopped only when his cell rang--Toya's tone. With a bitter smile he broke away and slipped the towel around his waist, two more rings on the cell and he answered, picking it up from beside the double bed.

"Hello Toya….I have…oh…congratulations on becoming a big brother….sorry, I can't visit today…."

Her blue-black hair shining in the overhead light, Deana sat on the bed next to Ryusuke, her eyes hungry. She leaned against the teen, tempting him until he ended the conversation. He dropped the cell and glared at her as a wolf eyeing its prey.

Their lips met again.

0

Kessuke stared at his father, blinking a few times, his depression dimming as the name sunk in. Suzume.

"Kess, what is it…?"

"You don't know? Suzume….mother…." Kess stood and paced around the room, disbelief and hope wrenching him from stagnation. "It can't….but…."

"Kess?" Ryu followed his son and grabbed his arms, heart pounding hearing the teen mutter. "What is it?"

Kessuke turned to Ryu and two pairs of cobalt eyes met.

"I talked with mom yesterday, before everything happened." Kessuke felt a stab and then a strange feeling. "She…I have a twin….foster care took her…."

"But what….."

"Mother named her Suzume."

Ryu blinked and shook his head. "It can't….Sayaka says her ward needs extra care, can't be left alone….She must be young…." Ryu stopped, and stared at the ceiling, a clear screen for his thoughts. He saw Sayaka yesterday at the concert, he saw her friend. A child, not young, teenage….and Sayaka ran after her through the crowd.

"Dad?"

"My god, she was there and I just….if she….if she is…." Ryu breathed and sat on Kessuke's desk, legs wobbly. His mind blank. Kessuke's twin? The phone ringing brought him to reality, but before he moved Kess answered and brought the cordless to him.

0

"Ryu," The phone shook in Sayaka's trembling hands. "I can't….Suzume's sick….I…." Sayaka drew in breath and exhaled through clenched teeth. "The general hospital….downtown on fourth….please….thank you."

Sayaka ended the conversation, her tears falling on the hospital phone, bitter gladness from her apartment being across the street from the hospital. Suzume's second seizure hit the moment the teen laid in bed, and Sayaka couldn't shake her to awareness.

Then it happened. The moment Sayaka stood to calm and call the doctor, Suzume fell from bed, somehow twisting her arm. The seizure passed the second the pain came, and then the sudden scream; then silence.

Suzume's whimpers struck worse. Sayaka witnessed her panic/anxiety attacks before, after her seizures and other times as well. The teen drew into herself, attuned only to her thoughts--memories of the past. Memories only she knew.

"What she goes through…I'll never forgive you Deana."

**End Chapter**

_A/N: A lot has happened in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it._


	8. Chapter 8

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter 8**

Shinichi stretched out in bed, turning toward the glow from the window. Close to 10am--he wore his school uniform, yet he hadn't stepped out of his bedroom.

The silence of the empty house dug into him--his stomach twisted, his throat clenched. Last night, after Hiro left with Yumi, and his papa settled into bed, Shini approached his dad as the author leaned on the kitchen counter, cigarette in hand.

_Shini stood in the doorway until Yuki turned to him--his dad brought the cigarette to his lip for a quick drag, his eyes unblinking at the sight of his son._

"_Uh…um…."_

"_No. You can't visit Kessuke, you're still grounded so don't even ask."_

"_But…."_

"_There'll be no joining Toya's band either--or any band while you live in this house." Yuki ground out his cigarette in the ashtray on the counter before walking past Shini toward the master bedroom. "Now go to sleep, you have school in the morning--I'll pick you up in the afternoon."_

_Shini listened to the door open and shut, his dad's footsteps soft then still--he carried himself to his room, knowing his dad listened to make sure._

_He fell asleep numb--one hour before dawn._

"Kessuke…." He stared at the bright walls of his bedroom, his papa and dad left after waking him--off to visit Toya, Mika, and his new baby cousin. He blinked, sighed, and swung his legs over the side of the bed; he ran his fingers through his hair, the blond strands glowing in the sneaking sunlight.

After standing he faced the mirror and collected his long hair into a ponytail in the back; a quick tie with a rubber band sealed it in place. He pulled at the collar of his uniform, his eyes roaming over his reflection--his stomach clenched, his left eye tooth sinking into his bottom lip.

A quick glance at the dresser top, the quick undoing of his top collar button, he grabbed a thick elastic string and circled it once around his neck. It crossed in front, held by both hands; he pulled, squeezing his throat to cut off his breath.

0

Toya stretched his arm behind his head, his eyes squinted in the light. His tangled brown hair drooped over his ears, he ran his fingers through to distangle the knots. He pushed his half devoured breakfast onto the side table, his hand shaking with his pounding headache.

"I need to get out of here…." Toya leaned forward, miserable with nausea, his hands holding his head down, his nails digging into the back of his neck. "If this shit hadn't happened….I could've partied all night…." He pulled at his hair before slamming his fist into the mattress. Breath rushed in and out of his throat as he continued pounding the bed; his stretched out legs not always missed by the blows.

0

Kessuke rushed through the hospital doors with his father; his heart pounded as he watched Ryu rush to a woman he didn't recognize.

"Sayaka, how is…." Ryu choked on his words when his sister clung to him sobbing. He brought a tentative hand to her back, gnawing his lip--the sight of her so like their mother pushed dormant memories to his mind's forefront. He shook during the brief embrace before pushing Sayaka away, and turning around.

Kessuke's eyes widened with each step his father took away; Sayaka's muffled cry drew his attention. He approached her--his eyes locked on hers, he mumbled a greeting and ran his fingers through his long, raven hair.

Too late he realized his wrist shown.

"You…your arm…." Sayaka dried her eyes, reached for his wrist before Kess could back-step. Her crystalline eyes raked over the scars and healing cuts, her lips still. Kessuke steeled himself but Sayaka let go without a breath, instead she massaged her forehead and sat in a waiting-room chair. "Suzume's upstairs, room 238...she's stable and sleeping now…please tell my brother that."

"Aunt Sayaka?" Kessuke placed both hands on Sayaka's shoulders until she met his eyes. "Is Suzume my sister?"

Her curt nod was his answer, before Sayaka covered her face and shook her head to prevent further questioning.

His father unseen, Kessuke rode the elevator alone, his excitement over seeing his father's sister evaporated--replaced with the gnawing frustration of being left out. Hands shaking he pressed them together to still his visible anxiety, his stride deliberate until he approached the door--he hesitated, inhaling the hospital air and listening to his pounding chest.

_My sister Suzume is in this room…._

He pulled his hand from the doorknob, then touched a tentative finger to it; his heart drummed worse against his ribs, the sudden scent of fire flaring then vanishing from his nose.

Sudden screams and crying tore his indecision to shreds and he barged into the room.

Suzume paced the room, oblivious of her slinged and bandaged arm, her mumbles intelligible only as Kessuke focused on them. He approached when he realized she murmured the word "auntie" over and over. The fear shaking through her was palpable; Kess trembled at the sight--his stomach clenched as his eyes found the patches of burn scars visible in her hospital gown.

_Sudden fire and screams--the horrible smell of kerosene or gasoline. The screams curdled his blood--tears drenching his chibi face._

_The smoke near him suffocated him--he glanced up--the grey clouds parting to a glimpse of his mother--so young._

_Blackness swallowed him in sudden terror._

"Kessuke! Kess, snap out of it."

Kess blurred into consciousness, his eyes open but unfocused until the sound of his father's voice cut through the darkness.

"Dad…." Before his next breath, Kess clung to his father and trembled, the memory dulling but not disappearing. His clenched stomach churned nausea and cramps, his legs too weak to push him up from the floor; he leaned against his dad as Ryu lifted him to standing.

His ears picked up crying across the room, muffled sobs and quicken breaths--Suzume, cocooned under her blanket with Sayaka by her side rubbing her back, convulsed with tears, her body shuddering visibly under the blanket. Sayaka glared at Kessuke, her piercing eyes growing blank then softening from tears; her heart pounded as she inhaled, Kessuke's appearance and visible distress inked into her thoughts.

"Kessuke, what happened? Kess…." Ryu glanced at Sayaka and Suzume, then back to his son, bewildered and anxious with Kess shaking in his arms.

"I don't want to see her again." Kessuke mumbled before tearing away his father's grip and plowing through the door and down the hall. The hallway blurred past his unseeing eyes, his surroundings dim until he tripped to his knees--he'd made his way to the restroom, the nausea ripping apart his stomach. He vomited in the toilet closest to the room's entrance, his teeth chattered and his eyes wet his cheeks with tears. "….that bitch…."

"Kessuke?" Ryu knocked at the stall door, it unlocked but pressed shut by Kessuke's body. "What's wrong?…you don't have to see Sayaka or Suzume, I'll…."

"…not them…." Kess mumbled, spitting into the toilet the last of the vomit. "It's not them…it's her…it's…." Kess felt the weakness in his arms, the burning emptiness of his stomach; he gulped down a breath and released it before bowing his head to have tears fall. "It's mother….it's….."

"Kess…."

"She did that to Suzume." The tears bled from his eyes copiously, the wetness unnoticed without the choking breaths Kess took in. "Those burns…Suzume…mother did that….I saw it--the smoke, the fire---the screams…." Kessuke shook his head, the split-second memory of his mother standing tall and tossing the gasoline can down, her eyes glaring coldly and still, pulsed with his merciless migraine.

Ryu stilled before falling to his knees outside the stall door. Shadow enclosed his face, his lips pressed in silence--he listened to Kessuke's sobs, and hummed a lullaby as Kess calmed.

0

Shinichi awoke on his bedroom floor, the elastic thread shrunk off his neck but left a deep red line around. His mind empty, he settled on the oncoming consciousness and oxygen seeped from his lungs into his bloodstream; His sore neck cueing his memory of slowly, slowly falling lightheaded into unconsciousness.

He guessed it was a high--without chemicals--fulfilling the release of his frustrations when "cross-dress and pretend" failed. He sat after the dizziness faded, rubbed his neck and then buttoned his uniform collar before standing. He stood too quick--lightheaded he tumbled back to the floor and busted his bottom lip.

"Hell." Shini licked the metallic taste from the wound, grabbed an unwashed dark shirt from his hamper and pressed it to his lip. It stung, he cursed.

He heard the front door open and shut, footsteps through the hall. Shini leaned against the wall, glanced at his face in the mirror, and then cracked open his bedroom door. He froze and bit his inner cheek when he saw Tatsuha walking toward his room.

"Shini, why aren't you in school?" Tatsuha opened his nephew's door as Shinichi sat on his desk's chair fussing with his uniform collar. Tats leaned against the door, staring down at Shini as the teen pushed papers and books into his school bag. "Shinichi…."

"I just felt lightheaded and dizzy this morning. I'm on my way out now." Shinichi grabbed the bag and rushed into the hall avoiding Tatsuha's eyes. His heart jumped when Tatsuha grabbed his arm.

"It's no wonder you get lightheaded--look at how skinny you are." Tatsuha studied the loose uniform Shinichi wore, one that'd been well-fitted mere months before. "How much do you weigh?" He felt Shinichi stiffen.

"110" Shinichi pulled away, free until Tatsuha grabbed his collar. His stomach clenched in expectation of Tatsuha seeing the red bruise from the thread.

Tatsuha didn't notice.

"You look less than that. Tell me what's going on, Shinichi."

Shinichi ground his teeth, careful not to bite his lip as he thought.

_You'd just tell--you always tell on Kess._

Shini closed and opened his eyes, raising his hand to his head to rub the skin.

"I have a headache…it's just I have two major projects to do for school, with exams coming up….and now with everything that's happened….I just don't feel like eating much or can't find the time….or I forget."

Tatsuha let go of Shinichi's collar and shook his head.

"Remember to eat lunch today--the last thing we need is something happening to you. You look like….I just spent too much time in the states last year in college." Tatsuha handed Shinichi the lunch his dad or papa had put together that morning.

"You were in America last year?"

"Yeah, to get experience speaking English with native speakers….I've seen too many thin women refuse to eat, obsessed about losing weight. A male friend of mine was the same way…."

Shinichi chewed the inside of his cheek, his throat dried-out, he covered his face on the pretense of an headache. He swallowed back his tears and took the proffered lunch, he lowered his other hand only when Tatsuha offered him some aspirin.

"No, thank you. I'm fine without it…." Shinichi waved the pills away. "You can build up a tolerance to aspirin if you use it too much too often. I'll just make some herbal tea."

"There's no time for that, you need to get to school." Tatsuha checked his watch and put the aspirin bottle in Shinichi's bag. "I'll drive you--if you change your mind about the aspirin they're in your bag."

"Giving out drugs to minors, tsk tsk, Tats, just how low will you sink?" Shinichi teased, grinning at Tats feigned annoyance and his mischievous smirk.

"Get going you. We need to leave before Eiri gets back---and if you tease me any more, you won't get your present."

"Present?"

Tatsuha held out a silver and midnight blue cell phone to answer Shinichi's bewildered expression.

"It's yours Shinichi, for all the birthdays and holidays I missed."

"My own cell phone…." Shinichi took it and glomped Tatsuha, his uncle barely avoiding falling to the floor. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"My pleasure, ha ha." Tatsuha patted Shinichi's back. "No teenager should be without one. I'll pay for the service coverage until you're 18--just don't let Eiri or Shu see it. Eiri would kill me if he knew." Tatsuha glanced at his watch again and shooed Shinichi outside. "Time to get you to school."

0

Toya huddled in the corner of his hospital room, eyes tightly shut with his arms crossed over them; his knees brought to his chest. Yellow and violet bruises showed on his legs where his punches meant for his mattress struck them. He heaved in breath, his shoulders rising and falling, his fingers growing numb.

He struck out when the doctor or nurses approached, his eyes glazed with anger and terror.

In the hall, Tohma demanded to see his son, his voice near shouting as stress and worry broke his polite façade.

"What's happening to Toya, doctor?"

"It appears he's starting to go through withdrawal--he seems to be reacting violently from the hallucinatory symptoms associated with withdrawal."

Tohma broke composure when Toya screamed at the nurses trying to sedate him; telling them to stop--to get away.

"What are they doing to him…." Tohma pushed passed the doctor and into the room, eyes wide seeing his son huddled in the corner. Tohma snapped at the nurses. "What did you do to him!"

"We're trying to give him a sedative to calm him--he kept striking his legs, bruising them."

Tohma shook his head, hand flexed into a fist then stretched out, flexed then stretched. He rounded on the doctor.

"This isn't normal, is it? Too soon for withdrawal…."

"Withdrawal symptoms can start the minute after the last use or not occur for weeks--hallucinations are common, this level of violence happens less often…." The doctor paused. "Did your son experience any trauma during the past few years or abuse? Anything that he'd use drugs to forget?"

Tohma paled--he pushed passed the doctor and kneeled in front of Toya. The month after he got shot as he slowly regained his memory, he remembered but did nothing to help Toya.

To help Toya deal with the rape.

"Toya….Toya, it's me…it's dad." Tohma spoke softly, tentatively reaching his hand to Toya's shoulder. "It's okay….I'm here….Toya."

Toya stiffened at the touch, but Tohma repeated his name softly like the time Toya was 5 and climbed onto the roof, ending up too frightened to climb back down. Tohma remembered that day, tears blurring his eyes with fear equal to then at the sight of his son huddled in the corner.

"Toya….it's all right….you're safe…."

"….dad…." Toya moved his arms from his eyes, red and sore with moisture; instead he wrapped them around his stomach. "My stomach hurts…my legs…." Toya's helpless voice tore Tohma's heart and he held his son to his chest; each second clicked on the clock seemed an eternity.

**A/N: Sorry about not updating for so long, I hope the length of this chapter made up for the wait. I'm trying to write longer chapters in this part to make up for the time in between updates. I'm currently working on a fic under the user AnimeAnarchist titled Gomen ne, once I finish that fic I'll dedicate my time to updating more fics under Yaminoko (this penname). (I'm also currently trying to tutor a friend on writing poems and trying to get him to read my fanfics….they're too long for him though.)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Generations Part Three**

**Chapter 9**

Shinichi sat at his desk, the class room silent with each student studying for the upcoming midterm exams; his eyes blurred as he read over the same page twice. He couldn't see Kessuke even to find out if he was all right. Suddenly exhausted, he laid his head down on the open book, and closed his eyes. The tears burned at the corners of his eyes but wouldn't fall.

He didn't move until he felt his teacher's hand on his shoulder.

"I won't doze off again, sensei, I'll get back to studying…."

"It's not that Uesugi-san, you're wanted down at the nurse's."

"But…." Shinichi glanced around, at the door stood the nurse's assistant; he swallowed and complied, his heart beating fast -- he stood too quickly though, the lightheadedness forcing him to sit back down. The next moment the nurse's assistant was helping him stand; he allowed it only until the lightheadedness passed. He pulled away the moment they entered the hall. "I don't need a chaperone."

"The nurse told you to come to her office 3 times over the past few weeks -- you didn't show up even once."

"There's no need to…I'm fine. I just didn't sleep much last night."

The nurse's assistant said nothing more while they walked; not leaving until Shinichi stepped into the nurse's office.

"Good day, Uesugi-san, I've been expecting you for a while…." The nurse greeted him and then shut the door.

Shinichi swallowed, his gaze on the scale; the nurse motioned to it. He froze.

0

"92 pounds….and that's with your uniform on. 5 foot 6 inches at 92 pounds….I'll inform your parents you should see your primary doctor, Uesugi-san, you need a full check-up." The nurse studied Shinichi's expression as he looked at the weight number then stepped off the scale, noting the lack of surprise along with the quick glances at the door and windows. Anywhere but at her. "There's something seriously wrong, just last month you weighed 105 pounds….now….until you see a doctor, you're off the track team and excused from physical education class. You can't afford to lose any more weight."

"All right." Shinichi turned to leave, but the nurse stopped him.

"You're to stay here until I get in touch with one of your parents, you'll eat your lunch here. I'm glad your classmate brought this weight change to my attention." The nurse turned to her notes after Shinichi sat on the bed by the window, his hair hiding his face. Shinichi felt exhaustion creep up, and he lied down on the mattress, curling into a ball.

Tears fell silently onto the pillow.

0

Yuki heard the phone ringing the moment he stepped inside the house door; taking off his jacket and shoes, he picked up the cordless, expecting some annoyance. He just wanted to relax after all that happened.

"Hello." Yuki mumbled into the phone as he opened the fridge to grab a beer. He stopped at the unknown voice; the moment he heard Shinichi's name mentioned, he straightened up and shut the fridge. "I'm Shinichi's father, what's wrong?" His eyes widened with each word he heard; he shook his head in disbelief. "I would've noticed if he lost weight…I…how much? I…I'll pick him up in 15 minutes. I can't believe…."

Yuki froze at the nurse's next words -- she'd seen the bruise around Shinichi's neck after the teen fell asleep, and noticed the busted lip. Yuki's face darkened, his face rigid, eyes narrowed.

"I don't know about it…I'll find out though. Thank you. I'll be there in 15 minutes." He hung up, and slammed the phone on the counter; a bruise around Shinichi's neck like a rope? It couldn't…. "It better not be that bastard boyfriend of his….some sadistic…." Yuki's thoughts raged against Kessuke, not nearing the possibility the nurse brought up -- self-infliction. The weight issue he blamed on Kessuke too, as he slammed out of the apartment and into his Mercedes.

0

Toya curled up on the bed, calm now with Tohma sitting next to the bed while running his hand through his son's hair. The doctor prescribed Toya some medication to deal with the withdrawal symptoms, afterwards taking Tohma aside to stress the importance of putting Toya through rehab.

Tohma ardently refused. He left the doctor and went to Toya's beside; the thought of only seeing his son for a hour or so each day if Toya went to a rehab clinic wrenching his stomach. He practically abandoned Toya emotionally the past few yeas as he worried about Kessuke, he refused to do so again.

"Dad?" Toya's eyes locked with Tohma's, his hands holding the blanket wrapped around him. "I talked to the doctor they sent from the rehab department…."

"You don't have to go, Toya, I…."

"The doctor, she said it had to be my choice to get better…it wouldn't work if I didn't want to…." Toya's hands trembled, his eyes now averted to the wall behind the bed. He felt his father's hand on his cheek, and fought back a shudder. "I think I should go…to rehab. The doctor said they can help me cope with…" Toya trembled then swallowed, his hands firsts holding the blanket. "They can help me cope without getting high or drunk."

"Toya, I can get the best doctors and therapists to come to our house; you can stay home and get treatment." Tohma took his son's hand into his, shaking off the pain as Toya squeezed too tightly before loosening his fist.

"No. No. I can't…." Toya wiped his eyes before glancing at Tohma's hand holding his.

"I want you home Toya. You're my son."

"But…if there's a repeat like earlier…if I have a flashback and mother sees…I…" Toya pulled his hand away, covering his face with both hands as he breathed deeply to stay focused. "…and I can't put her through that."

"Toya, Mika will be able to deal with…."

"No…sister, the baby…if I go home to recover, you'll focus on one of us more than the other…you lie if you say you won't. Even if you focus on us the same…what if I have an incident around sister? What if…." Toya pulled away, but Tohma brought him into a hug.

"Toya, I can't go a day without seeing you, neither can your mother…your sister needs you."

"My baby sister needs a brother who doesn't get stoned all the time…a brother who can and will protect her."

"Toya…."

0

Shinichi huddled on the back seat of Yuki's Mercedes, knees up, face hidden behind them; his long blond hair streaming down gave him a feminine appearance.

Yuki frowned as he studied his son through the rearview mirror; the long hair seemed dull, and glancing back now, he clearly saw how thin Shinichi was.

'How did I miss this? This….' He brought his gaze back to the windshield, breathing in as his stomach tightened.

The sudden ring of a phone pulled his gaze back to Shinichi; his eyes widened a fraction when he saw his son grab the midnight blue cell from his bag.

"Who gave you that cell-phone, Shini?" Yuki kept his tone even, calling Shinichi by his nickname in an attempt to lessen his son's deer-in-the-headlights look. He seemed too vulnerable.

"Uh…Uncle Tats…." Shinichi gave Yuki the cell when he saw his dad's hand held out.

"Speak of the devil." Yuki glanced at the cell, Tatsuha's phone number displayed; he answered it with a gruff "What is it?"

He heard Tatsuha's sudden intake of breath, and the stammered greeting. He let Tats start mumbling about how Shini should have a cell and that Yuki shouldn't punish Shini.

"All right, Tats, I don't care either way about Shini having a cell, as long as I'm not paying for it."

Shinichi stared at the car floor, his eyes blurring; he felt lightheaded but bit his inside cheek to stay focused. He closed his eyes and felt himself sliding, the next moment he awoke on the car floor his dad leaning over him, shaking him.

"Shinichi, Shinichi." Yuki's expression frightened Shinichi who never saw his dad worry. "I'm taking you to the doctor's now. Your rapid weight loss isn't right, now passing out."

Shinichi trembled as his dad helped him back onto the backseat, allowing him to lie down; his forehead stung where it brushed along the carpeted floor, his cut lip reopened.

He touched his forehead, the blood not much though it throbbed; he glanced up when Yuki proffered him a can of soda from his papa's stash in the glove box. He took it and sipped a little of if to please his dad, he put it in a backseat cup-holder when Yuki drove to the private clinic the family doctor worked at.

0

Ryu waited until Kessuke calmed down and accepted a sedative from hospital staff before returning to Suzume's room. His sister sat by the bed running her fingers through the teen girl's hair.

"Ryuichi, how's Kessuke? Those scars…."

"Deana did that to Suzume." Ryuichi approached the bed, his left hand reached over to touch her face. He saw the burn scars starting on the back of Suzume's neck. "Her own daughter…my daughter…."

"I don't know anything definite, Deana was accused after…the incident and Suzume was put into foster care…." Sayaka watched Ryu's expression and bit her lip at the fury in his eyes. "I didn't know anything until a year later when Deana came to me, wanting help to get Suzume back."

"She did this…how bad? Are those scars all over? Does Suzume remember?"

"Yes. The scars cover Su's whole body except her face, and she has nightmares at times about it….she has seizures often as well." Sayaka gazed at the sleeping teen with softened, glistening eyes. "Ryu, I raised Su since she was four, and I wish I could continue raising her."

"Sayaka, I won't take Suzume from you if want to continue raising her, you've done a better job than I did with Kessuke."

Sayaka blinked back her tears, dabbing her eyes with her sleeve before turning to Ryu.

"You mean those scars on Kessuke's arm? Self-inflicted…just like mother…."

Ryu felt his chest burn at mention of their mother; memories of how he'd toss and turn in the night wondering if the next day would be good or bad, if his mother would make it through the day without using a knife on her wrist. Or if she'd even make it through the night without crawling into the bathroom, razor in hand.

"I'm as bad as father….I didn't see it until recently…." Ryu closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, exhaling before he continued. "No….I'm worse…father saw what mother did…he just didn't know what to do. I never even noticed Kessuke's….and I blocked out the signs I did see."

"No, you are not. You are better than father, you are helping Kessuke now, right?"

"Yes, but…I almost lost him…I kept someone around who abused him without realizing it….and he almost killed himself because of it. And now…." Ryu felt tears streaming down his cheeks, warm and wet, dripping onto his shirt. "I learn that Deana…I let….both my children were hurt because I didn't do anything….I…."

"That isn't your fault, Ryu. Anyway, what matters now is doing your best to love and care for them both, and making sure Deana stays away from them."

"Both? You're leaving Suzume with me? But if you don't want…."

"I have to. I….I have AIDS, and I can't always give Suzume the care she needs….Besides, Social Services won't leave her in my care once they know my condition. I'm only her foster parent. That's why I contacted you….Deana wants Suzume back, and once Social Services find out my condition…their priority is to give children back to their biological parents, and…."

Ryu's eyes widened before his face became rigid with anger.

"Deana will not get Suzume back, I promise you that. Even if she is her mother, that evidence on Suzume's skin speaks for itself…."

"True…but….Deana's older daughter speaks for her."

"What? Deana has another child? But…is she…."

"Suzume's and Kessuke's half sister, older by one year…since Deana shared custody of her with that child's father, you don't know. But five years after losing Suzume and giving Kessuke to you, Deana received full custody of her other daughter, and Deana treats her like a princess."

"But…that's not…it doesn't mean….what Deana did to Suzume…."

"Deana denies what happened, and as only Suzume and Kessuke witnessed it, there isn't a witness to stand up in court. They both were only two at the time, and the only evidence is Suzume's scars….that's why Kessuke wasn't taken away with Suzume as well."

"That…." Ryu felt his throat tighten, his arms shaking as the anger rushed through him. "That's fucked up. She denies…that….Kess still remembers it! And Suzume!"

"That's not all…Deana used her other daughter to befriend Tohma's son Toya….Her name is Raven, or Rave as she is called in Toya's band."

**A/N: Long chapter here, 6 pages typed….I hope its length makes up for the long wait….but so many things have happened/been revealed in this chapter….I wonder how things will play out….**


End file.
